Solar eclipse of August 12 2026 draws preparations across Europe

A total solar eclipse will occur on 12 August 2026, the first visible from the Iberian Peninsula since 1905. The path of totality crosses northern Spain, parts of Portugal, the Balearic Islands, Greenland, Iceland and extends over the North Atlantic. In many European regions, authorities are organising public viewing sites, festivals and safety campaigns.

Spain is the focal point of the event: the Community of Madrid will open 52 observation points and a festival in Buitrago del Lozoya; Castellón’s town hall has announced a special mobility plan with park‑and‑ride parking and shuttle buses; Bilbao expects a surge in hotel bookings and designates key observation zones such as Artxanda and Kobetas. Municipalities in Catalonia, including Cerdanyola del Vallès, will host free solar‑watching sessions and a scientific talk at the Museu de les Ciències. The Valencia‑based Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències will offer free telescope observations and a conference on the eclipse.

In the Czech Republic the partial eclipse will cover more than 80 % of the solar disc, visible in the early evening and producing a “double twilight”. German cities will experience a deep partial eclipse of up to 90 % coverage, though totality will be visible only farther south.

Safety advice is repeated throughout the coverage: only ISO‑certified solar‑eclipse glasses protect eyes; ordinary sunglasses are inadequate. Organisers are distributing protective eyewear and urging the public to use projection methods when possible.